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Divine

I AM DIVINE

Harris Glenn Milstead, aka DIVINE (1945-1988) was the ultimate outsider turned underground hero. Spitting in the face of the status quos of body image, gender identity, sexuality, and preconceived notions of beauty, Divine succeeded in becoming an internationally recognized icon, recording artist, and character actor of stage and screen. Glenn went from the often-mocked, schoolyard fat kid to underdog royalty, standing up for millions of gay men and women, drag queens and punk rockers, and countless other socially ostracized misfits and freaks. With a completely committed in-your-face style, he blurred the line between performer and personality, and revolutionized pop culture.

Re: Divine

If we gays were catholic, I'd be lighting candles to Divine.

I adore her.

Sun bear

The worst thing...is not energy depletion, economic collapse, conventional war, or the expansion of totalitarian governments. As terrible as these catastrophes would be for us, they can be repaired in a few generations. The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.--e.o. wilson

Re: Divine

SXSW 2013 Review: ‘I Am Divine’ Explores the Life and Story of John Waters’ Most Memorable Muse

Assimilation seems to be the order of the day. One of the arguments leveled against the “It Gets Better” campaign is that while it pushes for self-acceptance among queer kids, the “better” part actually seems to mean “normal.” That is, all the images it puts forth of a happy gay life after the misery of high school bullying are images of an assimilated life. If that’s true, it means the bullies haven’t been left behind at all — they’ve been internalized. But if we want to support the kids who can’t look forward to becoming “normal” somewhere down the line, we’d better start checking our archives.

History is full of the stories of bullied outsiders who learned to love themselves and went on to become strong icons. While maybe not the most kid-friendly, Divine was one of the biggest, most outrageous, proudly outsider and dangerously different gay cultural icons we have. And just as the forces of assimilation seem to be taking control of our memory, too, documentary filmmaker Jeffry Schwartz comes to the rescue with the release of his definitive Divine biographical documentary, I Am Divine, richly evoking the world of vibrant outsiders that Divine came to define.

Divine was born Harris Glenn Milstead, the only child of middle-class Baltimore parents. His love of musicals and “dress-up games” attracted bullies: He never passed as straight, so he gave up trying. In the early 1960s, not passing meant bravely forging your own place in social structures set up to exclude your desires, out of necessity. So Harris Glenn Milstead threw his own parties (on his parents’ dime), appeared as an astonishingly passable Elizabeth Taylor with his then-girlfriend, and fell into a crowd of gay hipsters and freaks, John Waters among them. Waters shared his love of underground and countercultural art, and was the first to give Milstead the name with which he would become a legend: Divine. Waters and Divine began making movies together, Divine broadening and coarsening his female persona with each successive picture. Eat Your Makeup (1967) has Divine as Jackie Kennedy, but in Multiple Maniacs (1970) he plays a homicidal criminal who gets raped by a giant lobster.

Divine used his anger from being bullied as a child to give the outrage to his outrageous character. “Fuck you very much,” was his catchphrase, and shocking proclamations like “I give blowjobs to serial killers,” were only topped by the even more shocking “I eat white sugar!” A high (or low) point in his career was 1972’s Pink Flamingos where Divine competes for the title of “filthiest person alive” by eating fresh dog shit. With antics like that, it’s no surprise that the emerging punk scene adopted his visage on t-shirts. Divine was becoming the celebrity he always wanted to be.

At its core, I Am Divine is the story of accepting and celebrating your difference. Though Divine learned from an early age, as many gay men do, to compartmentalize his feelings and his modes of self-expression, he was lucky — and strong — enough to achieve success by unabashedly putting himself out there. Divine was overweight almost all his life, and yet the documentary about his life merits the subtitle The True Story of the Most Beautiful Woman in the World. He achieved fame for appearing to debase himself, but he was nonetheless respected for they way he could command attention, whether on stage or in front of the camera. And his inability to “fit in” became the basis for his reign as outsider royalty.

The superb archival footage that I Am Divine provides should also be a useful catalyst for a new generation seeking ways to celebrate difference. The underground world that Divine moved in was vibrant, creative, and tragically almost decimated. But even people who lived through the period and kept faith with the older underground ideals will find things they didn’t remember about Divine’s whole story in this film. It’s one of those rare historical documentaries that might have the power to affect history on its own, by bringing memories and experiences from the past into the present.

Divine transformed his early outcast status into a truly distinctive persona, redeeming the “feminine” traits that brought schoolyard bullying by turning them into the basis for his international stardom. But his story is also one of redemption with his family. Before his death, he was lucky enough to reconcile with his parents, lavishing them with gifts and bringing them to his more “respectable” movies, and his mother even pops up as an interviewee here. By bringing his family in, along with collaborators and Divine-worshippers like Waters, Tab Hunter, Ricki Lake and Greg Gorman, director Schwartz helps honor his legacy “in just the way he always craved — as a serious artist and immortal star.”

The one flaw of the film might be the feel-good boosterism that any kind of positive biography risks exuding. It seems, at times, to be creating its own sort of “It Gets Better” Disney-esque pat redemption story. But that is actually what happened to both Divine and Waters. Divine was about to debut on the mainstream television show Married With Children when he unexpectedly died of a heart attack, and Waters is a sometimes presence at the multiplex. The bullied, overweight gay kid from Baltimore got the last laugh on his tormentors.

Schwarz has crafted a well paced and exceedingly watchable film that follows in his tradition of Vito (2011) and before that, Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon (2008) — telling stories of outlaws who refused to capitulate to even gay society’s expectations. Likewise it captures the exuberant spirit of a time in which difference brought together like minds and changed attitudes.

Divine certainly doesn’t fit in with the clean-cut, “virtually normal” ideal that some gay leaders are trying to promote. But neither do the gay kids getting bullied at school who are looking for models of self-acceptance and proud difference for support. I Am Divine gives a magnificent portrait of just such an “It Gets Better” story, and updates our understanding of a creative and influential underground scene at the same time. It shows what you can do with your anger at outsider status: Turn it inside-out, and then you’re the star.

The Upside: Superb archival footage and dozens of interviews give this documentary an authoritative feel not only for its topic but also for the era itself.

The Downside: The one flaw of the film might be the feel-good boosterism that any kind of positive biography risks exuding.

On the Side: Director John Waters has gone out of his way to promote this documentary as a tribute to his long time friend and muse.

Re: Divine

Originally Posted by miaedu

SXSW 2013 Review: ‘I Am Divine’ Explores the Life and Story of John Waters’ Most Memorable Muse

Assimilation seems to be the order of the day. One of the arguments leveled against the “It Gets Better” campaign is that while it pushes for self-acceptance among queer kids, the “better” part actually seems to mean “normal.” That is, all the images it puts forth of a happy gay life after the misery of high school bullying are images of an assimilated life.

I respect the difference that Divine brought to the table. But if Divine couldn't appreciate the joy of the occasional day on the sofa watching reruns on TV, with a lovely dinner from the supermarket, while the dog buries bones in the back yard, then fuck her. In the most boring way imaginable.

Re: Divine

Originally Posted by bankside

I respect the difference that Divine brought to the table. But if Divine couldn't appreciate the joy of the occasional day on the sofa watching reruns on TV, with a lovely dinner from the supermarket, while the dog buries bones in the back yard, then fuck her. In the most boring way imaginable.

Aren't you being rather dramatic?

Granted, I don't know all that much about Divine--she's way before my time--but I can't believe her intent was to attack whatever lifestyle. It just sorta sorta happened.

I'm going to say that there does seem to be a disconnect between white-picket-fence gays and everyone else gay.

Re: Divine

No, my complaint is not against Divine, whose views on this issue I don't really know. But people who hold her up as an example of how to be gay, people who say that somehow being "normal" is a betrayal or that being yourself is "assimilation" just because you aren't counterculture enough, those people can go fuck themselves. I'd respect Divine for being an obnoxious tube-topped pervert, and I'd hold her up without question as a better and more moral example for the next generation than, say, an evangelical preacher.

But I'd expect the same respect just walking my normal dog in the normal suburbs and doing all those boring normal things like mowing the lawn, making pork chops for dinner, going to work 9 to 5 at a steady job, celebrating my normal 15th anniversary with my guy...

I'd expect the same respect just walking my normal dog in the normal suburbs and doing all those boring normal things like mowing the lawn, making pork chops for dinner, going to work 9 to 5 at a steady job, celebrating my normal 15th anniversary with my guy...

And rightly you should.

So are you saying you just don't believe we all will ever be able to find common ground? That's a dreary thought.

Re: Divine

I've posted this before, but it's apropos. The world of heterosexual is a sick and boring life.

I'm not sure I'd say that because Waters satirizes and even vilifies traditional lives, he would make of that a political agenda to limit peoples' freedoms. At most, he probably just finds the white picket distasteful.

Honestly, I think I'd say most artists find an abundance of custom distasteful.

Re: Divine

So are you saying you just don't believe we all will ever be able to find common ground? That's a dreary thought.

(Do you really eat pork chops for dinner?)

Thank you on the congrats
I'm not sure what you mean about the preachers.
As far as common ground, I don't think we have to be the same to have common ground. I get that. But the critics of the "it gets better" project do not, when they complain about assimilation. They seem to feel we have to ritually exclude ourselves from everyday society to be a good gay, and I find that just as hateful as homophobia.

And hell yeah! Pork chops with a little kosher salt and some onion….heaven!

Re: Divine

Thank you on the congrats
I'm not sure what you mean about the preachers.

Y/W. You brought it it up... As an example of what not to do, no? Maybe it's all just a response to that ilk?

Originally Posted by bankside

But the critics of the "it gets better" project do not, when they complain about assimilation. They seem to feel we have to ritually exclude ourselves from everyday society to be a good gay, and I find that just as hateful as homophobia.

I feel so horrible about it, but I haven't really paid much attention to "it get's better." I implore you to give me an example.

The worst thing...is not energy depletion, economic collapse, conventional war, or the expansion of totalitarian governments. As terrible as these catastrophes would be for us, they can be repaired in a few generations. The one process now going on that will take millions of years to correct is loss of genetic and species diversity by the destruction of natural habitats. This is the folly our descendants are least likely to forgive us.--e.o. wilson

Re: Divine

Y/W. You brought it it up... As an example of what not to do, no? Maybe it's all just a response to that ilk?

I feel so horrible about it, but I haven't really paid much attention to "it get's better." I implore you to give me an example.

Sure, here's one:

It Gets Better is an anti-bullying campaign to let young gay kids know that life gets better after high school. Thousands of people have contributed videos with basically the same message: If gay youth are feeling desperate because they're being picked on, or outed, or mocked or bullied, or threatened by their parents, it is possible to get through it. Life gets better and they don't have to feel hopeless about their future.

There is a certain kind of old gay dinosaur activist however, who looks at all those videos and says "Wait a minute! That almost sounds like they're saying queers can have a normal happy life! That's no good! Normality is for straight people! Fucking boring suburban porkchop-eating, minivan-driving, white-picket-fence, lawn-mowing straight people! Fuck that! They're trying to destroy queer culture! If we aren't on the outside looking in, we might as well just be straight! This is just a campaign to 'destroy queer space,' and turn us into mindless consumers in the capitalist machine!" And every other moronic statement they can think of.

At this point I'm going to explain "Poe's Law" which states that whenever someone makes a parody of some extremist nutbar, the only way to know if it is a parody or not is for the person to tell you, because the authentic, factual statements of the nutbars will sound equally bonkers. And these 'anti-normal' people really are just that looney that you can't tell my made-up quote from a real one.

They are also fairly lacking in a sense of humour whenever my Irreverence Cannon is pointed in their direction, instead of at the church or the republican party, for example.

Re: Divine

I think porkchops are better suited to a ratings-chasing sit-com don't you? Actually it's all the same: an art-house indie film about pork chops would have to appear in the guise of a ratings-chasing sit-com. Which I think might be another example of some form of Poe's Law.

Re: Divine

John Waters, the transgressive cult director known in most circles as the Pope of Trash, found his filthy, larger than life muse in Divine, the persona created by actor Glenn Milstead. After working with Waters on independent and controversial films like Mondo Trasho, Multiple Maniacs, Pink Flamingos and Female Trouble, starring in various theatre productions and a career in disco, Divine catapulted to super stardom with Waters' first blockbuster success, Hairspray, in 1988. Just a few weeks later, he tragically passed away in his sleep at the age of 42.

25 years later, documentary director Jeffrey Schwarz has, with the blessing of the Pope of Trash, released a brand new film about Divine and his life. I Am Divine gathers interviews from Divine's mother, his high school girlfriend, and the many people touched by the glitz and glamour of this illuminating pop icon. Buzzine's Rachel Heine got together with Jeffrey Schwarz at the Buzzine Sweet Suite in Austin, TX for the 2013 South By South West Film Festival to talk about Divine's life, work, and introducing his unique inspiration for a new generation….

Re: Divine

Originally Posted by bankside

There is a certain kind of old gay dinosaur activist however, who looks at all those videos and says "Wait a minute! That almost sounds like they're saying queers can have a normal happy life! That's no good! Normality is for straight people!

I was thinking there might be YouTube vids exemplifying this type of behavior you describe. But I searched, and I couldn't find. I'm aware of "It gets better," I just don't watch the vids is what I was trying to say. I don't think I fall into the category of their target audience. But they do make for nice pick-me-ups, don't they? You were so sweet to post.

There are two things the "old gay dinosaurs," I remember, were up in arms about when I was coming out (the only two that stuck out, anyway).

1. Bisexuals were just kidding themselves.

2. The term LGBT was an affront! As the be BT are not gay and therefore have no business being in our business.

Re: Divine

Divine was the inspiration for the design of Ursula the Sea-Witch in the Disney classic The Little Mermaid. This video is a montage of scenes from the film "The Little Mermaid" lip-sync on the Divines song "Shake It Up"

Re: Divine

Originally Posted by bankside

At this point I'm going to explain "Poe's Law" which states that whenever someone makes a parody of some extremist nutbar, the only way to know if it is a parody or not is for the person to tell you, because the authentic, factual statements of the nutbars will sound equally bonkers. And these 'anti-normal' people really are just that looney that you can't tell my made-up quote from a real one.

I still haven't forgotten how you invoked Poe's Law here. What exactly were you trying to say?

Re: Divine

"Divine" inspiration for modern misfits

GREAT BARRINGTON -- Overweight drag queen actor Divine's name largely lives on in infamy for his outrageous acts, which include eating dog feces on camera. A new documentary film suggests that his real radicalism was the way he lived his private life, as much as his public one.

"I Am Divine" screens at The Beacon in Pittsfield on Saturday, June 1, at 4 p.m., and The Triplex in Great Barrington on Sunday, June 2, at 3:45 p.m., as part of the Berkshire International Film Festival.

Divine, whose real name was Harris Glenn Milstead, died in 1988 at the age of 42, but his legacy has continued, most notably through the hit musical "Hairspray." As director Jeffrey Schwarz points out, even Divine's too-early death, which happened quietly of a heart attack in bed, at the cusp of the stardom and success he had dreamed of, defies the clichés of tragedy.

"I think people were happy that he died happy, went to bed with a smile on his face knowing that his dreams were really coming true," said Schwarz. "Is that the worst thing in the world, to go to bed at the height of your happiness with a smile on your face? Is that worst way to go out?"

Re: Divine

DIVINE (born Harris Glenn Milstead) was a drag performer who came to prominence as a cult movie star appearing in several John Waters films such as Pink Flamingos, Polyester and Hairspray.

In 1979 Divine released the dance single "Born To Be Cheap”, and although the track didn’t make a huge impact it started a new chapter in his career where he released a succession of camp and fun dance hits which filled the floors of predominantly gay club nights throughout the 80’s.

The compilation MAID IN ENGLAND, released in 1988, was the all-round performers fourth and last LP and features several of Divine’s Hi-NRG and Disco hits including the 1984 UK top 20 hit ‘You Think You’re A Man’ as well as ‘I’m So Beautiful’ (both produced by Stock/Aitken/Waterman) and re-mixes of ‘Walk Like A Man’ and Sam Cooke’s ‘Twistin’ The Night Away’.

DIVINE is hugely respected cult figure in both the film and music world and still a great inspiration to many people due to his exuberant persona and performances.

Cherry Pop is very proud to present MAID IN ENGLAND, expertly remastered and complete with liner notes and bonus tracks.

MAID IN ENGLAND is essential listening for all Hi-NRG, Dance, Disco and Pop fans out there!

I am Divine

Has anybody watched the documentary "I am Divine" on Netflix? Sad to see that she died so young. Never knew she had a music career as well. I guess I only knew of her from her dog shit eating scene in Pink Flamingos.

Re: I am Divine

yes, very campy. would have loved to see her perform live. I thought it was interesting that she was gonna be in Married with Children just before she died. That would have been hilarious! In that video, she looks a lot like Delta Burke. lol